Portrait of Francisco Javier Paredes -

Art and jewelry come together at the Denver Art Museum in Colorado for a new exhibition that was inaugurated Dec. 7 and that will run through the end of November 2016. Paintings, engravings, and, of course, precious jewels are all on display.

The show, curated by Donna Pierce, Ph.D. and Frederick and Jan Mayer, is made up of 72 objects taken from DAM’s world-renowned Spanish Colonial collection. It tells of the fascinating history of illustrious people and the luxury of the New World between the 16th century and the 19th century. Jewelry pieces in this historic period were used to show the wealth of the wearer and as a symbol of social status, and religious – and other – affiliations. They were emblems of very strong identifying values. Jewels were worn prominently so they could be seen by everyone and were especially used in the portraits in that era, which show the customs and the fashions of the time.

Some of the must-see pieces include the splendid jewels in gold and silver that have been carefully worked and made more precious with Colombian emeralds, Mexican corals and Venezuelan pearls. Also taking place in the same museum is the show Brilliant: Cartier in the 20th Century, which runs through March 2015. This exhibition features jewels, watches and precious objects created between 1900 and 1975, showing how the brand evolved in that period.